CHAPTER 182: THE THUNDERBOLT BLOODLINE

Menelaus Lychos kept his kneeling position for some time, but nothing changed before him. He waited patiently, unmoving.

After what felt like a long stretch of silence, the air in front of him shifted. The suspended mass of lightning arcs moved slightly. A majestic werewolf emerged from the radiance, countless arcs still coiling around its body as it floated towards Menelaus.

The werewolf slowly transformed into his human form, the silhouette gliding forward until he landed gently in front of Menelaus. Residual lightning still danced across the folds of his majestic black robe. He stared down at the kneeling Menelaus with piercing green eyes and spoke in a deep voice that seemed to echo from thousands of miles away... despite standing right before him.

"Speak."

It was Erevan Brontes Lychos, King of the Werewolves.

Menelaus had served the king for nearly thirty years, yet still, a deep-rooted fear coiled in his stomach whenever he addressed him.

He had also served the former king, Damon Brontes Lychos. Normally, Erevan was more approachable than his father. But when he cultivated or released his bloodline ability, Menelaus felt as though a mountain pressed down upon him. Erevan’s aura was so vast and oppressive that it became difficult to breathe.

"I... I..." Menelaus stammered, struggling to speak.

Erevan immediately understood, and with a thought, he retracted his aura, cancelling his bloodline ability.

The oppressive weight vanished. Menelaus drew several deep breaths, then said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

After a pause, he began again. "You asked me to gather information regarding Alistair Gerymoore’s plea, and about Eleanor Elizabeth Raynor. Though not yet complete, I’ve managed to gather some insight into the matter."

He stopped briefly, still adjusting to the atmosphere.

Seeing this, Erevan stepped forward and placed a hand lightly upon Menelaus’s head. A wave of spiritual energy coursed through his veins, wiping away the last traces of fatigue and pressure. Then, he stepped back to his previous position and stood straight, hands behind his back.

"Thank you for your help, Your Majesty," Menelaus said again.

He continued. "There is some truth in Alistair’s complaint. The Raynor Clan did not move from their position when the Gerymoore Clan’s political foundation was destroyed in the kingdom. Their wealth or other direct influence wasn’t involved in that situation. However, we did uncover a link that may connect Eleanor Raynor to those events... but proving it will be difficult."

He paused, then added, "Eleanor visited the Earl of Birmingham several times before the political fallout. And she didn’t conceal her movements. She travelled with her full protocol and security convoy. That Earl was long retired from politics, but after the event, he became a member of the House of Lords and now plays an important role within the current opposition party. From what I’ve heard, most party leadership now listens to his guidance."

He frowned. "However, there is a complication. That family was highly influential in the past, so their resurgence could be interpreted as a natural reaction to the sudden political vacuum."

He added, "We also found subtle traces of Blanc Clan activity before the incident. But their work was so meticulously hidden that there’s no way to accuse them outright."

He paused again, then said, "Also, the Gerymoore Clan’s complaint is not entirely accurate. The attack was not directed specifically at them... it struck at the kingdom’s political structure as a whole. Gerymoore Clan was simply caught in the crossfire. Since Alistair has formally brought this matter to your attention, I recommend we dismiss the complaint due to lack of solid evidence."

Erevan replied, "Very well. Do as you deem fit."

After a moment’s thought, he asked, "What is the relationship between the Earl and Eleanor? And what is she planning with him?"

Menelaus answered, "We found no personal connection. But it’s clear they’re on good terms. As for future plans... I doubt the Earl himself plays a major role. The opposition’s prime ministerial candidate is someone else entirely, with no prior association to the Earl. I believe the Earl serves as a liaison between Eleanor and the party. She’s laying the groundwork to dominate the kingdom’s political landscape."

Erevan’s eyes narrowed slightly. "The Raynor Clan has never interfered in human politics. This is unprecedented. Keep an eye on Eleanor, and inform me of any developments."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Menelaus said.

With that, Erevan floated back into the storm’s heart, returning to his position at the centre of the thunder and lightning.

***

The Whitmore–Clifford Scandal still dominated the online news portals. Although television channels had moved on to newer, more engaging headlines, online media clung stubbornly to the scandal. Idle readers loved to browse through gossip... and what did they love most? Scandals. Online platforms continued to post follow-up stories from that infamous night.

A few paparazzi had taken it upon themselves to dig deeper, hoping to unearth juicier angles. After the sex tapes and intimate photos were leaked, the scandal reached new heights on search engines. People across the kingdom discreetly searched for the footage, boosting keywords like Whitmore Scandal, Jennifer leaked photos, and Clifford affair to the top of trending lists.

Business rivals of the Clifford family seized the opportunity to leak their shady government dealings to lesser-known news portals, who welcomed the content enthusiastically. The stock valuation of Clifford Holdings plummeted. Some even unearthed long-buried relationship scandals involving various Clifford family members, painting them as a corrupt and morally bankrupt family. The backlash didn’t focus solely on the men... several of the daughters were named and shamed as well.

Old flames of the Clifford family members... jilted lovers, ex-fiancées, or former partners... surfaced across social media, sharing tales of betrayal and deceit. They claimed they’d been used and discarded, taking this as the opportunity of a lifetime to exact revenge.

Among the family members, James’s second elder brother, Robin Clifford, suffered the most intense backlash. It surfaced that years ago, he had raped and impregnated a female cleaning staff member at his company, then coerced her into aborting the child. The woman had been a Syrian refugee... powerless, without kin, her family lost to the civil war. She had come to the kingdom seeking asylum through the Red Cross.

With no support network, she had been easily silenced. The incident was buried.

Robin never even knew what became of her after the abortion.

But someone had kept the hospital documents from the abortion. Now, that anonymous person posted the report online, choosing this moment to strike. Though the victim’s name was redacted in the shared medical papers, the post gained momentum. Many netizens tagged the official crime division account, demanding action.

As news portals picked up the story, police were compelled to investigate... especially once it was confirmed that the victim had received asylum through the Red Cross, whose name had also been tagged widely. Their reputation, now implicated, was at risk.

Upon learning the Red Cross was drawn into the matter, Jonathon Clifford acted swiftly. He sent his nephew Robin abroad, away from the kingdom. It proved a wise move, as police inquiries soon confirmed that Robin himself had taken the woman to the clinic. After the abortion, she had developed severe mental illness and was currently under indefinite psychiatric care in an NHS facility.

On its official page, the Red Cross released a public statement. They clarified that they had no knowledge of what had happened to the woman. She had never been in a position to report the crime herself. However, once she was admitted into the NHS system, the Red Cross had supported her medical care and facilitated her placement in the psychiatric hospital.

Public consensus shifted as they demanded justice for that pitiful woman.

Clifford family members believed all this misfortune had been triggered by James’s scandal. Rather than reflect on their own sins, they condemned James, blaming him for dragging their reputation into ruin.

They gathered at the Clifford family estate, pressuring Nicholas Clifford to formally expel James from the family lineage.

Nicholas, though aware this campaign was orchestrated by Jonathon to protect his own son’s future, also recognised the seriousness of the moment. Keeping the family united was essential to weather the storm.

He ordered Jonathon to send someone to retrieve James and bring him before him.

But James had switched off his phone since the wedding debacle. No one had been able to contact him. Drowning in shame and sorrow, he had retreated to a Chinese club under Benjamin’s protection... certain that no one would dare bother him there. A few close friends had joined him to offer support.

At midnight, as they stepped outside the club, a woman clad in black appeared from nowhere. With a fluid motion, she sliced off James’s leg below his knee, then turned and walked away in front of his stunned friends. By the time they regained their senses enough to react, she had already vanished.

Later that night, a shocking headline flashed across nearly every news channel: The Black Revenger Strikes Again.